Summer Science

Reading and writing happens across the curriculum, including the sciences. This summer, strengthen children's literacy, inquiry, and problem-solving skills — and connect kids with high-quality nonfiction and informational books.

Begin your adventures by selecting a topic below!

Literacy in the sciences tip sheets

Making Predictions

Scientists, just like readers, make predictions all the time. Help kids to see the connection between what they can do as readers and what they can do as science explorers. Here are two simple ways to encourage kids to put their prediction skills to work.

Patterns and Categorizing

Children begin using their senses to recognize patterns and categorize things at a young age — skills that play an important role in early learning, including word study, science and math. This tip sheet provides some simple activities to help build pattern recognition and categorization skills.

Recording Observations: Journals and Field Notes

Science and math explorations provide growing readers with a chance to strengthen observational and record-keeping skills by keeping a special journal to fill with sketches, notes, and graphs. Try these ideas to get started.

Recording Observations: Capturing and Sharing Images

Young kids love technology, gadgets, and nature! While parents may be looking for ways to reduce screen time for their kids, here are a few helpful suggestions for integrating simple technology and books into your outdoor adventures in a fun and educational way.

Beat the Heat with Your Weather Page

Summer's temperatures often send kids and adults inside to cooler air. Here are a few tips to make the most of those hot afternoons with some literacy and math fun using only your newspaper, computer, or other household items.

The Night Before the Museum

Day trips, vacations and special outings create special memories and great learning opportunities for families. Here are a few "stops" to make before your visit to help children get the most out of a family or school educational experience. .

Nonfiction for kids

Getting the Most Out of Nonfiction Reading Time

Nonfiction books give kids a chance to learn new concepts and vocabulary, as well as broaden their view of the world. Learn how to take a "book walk" with a new nonfiction book and how to model active reading.

How to Read Nonfiction Text

Many children love to read about science and nature as well as real people, places, and events. Nonfiction books present information in engaging and interesting ways. Help kids learn to navigate all the parts of a nonfiction book — from the table of contents to the diagrams, captions, glossary, and index.

Finding Great Nonfiction Books

Of course, Start with a Book has lots of great nonfiction titles — just browse our themed lists! Public and school librarians are a great resource for helping identify high-quality nonfiction books, for any interest or reading level. There are also many excellent online resources. Here are a few of our favorites:

Summer adventure tracker

Learn all summer long in your own community! Track your learning adventures with our downloadable map and log sheet. Match your adventures with our Start with a Book themes — and find lots of related books, activities and apps to extend the learning.

Summer book tracker

Watch & Learn

Swimming with pink dolphins

Sy Montgomery (Kakapo Rescue) has had incredible adventures as a nature writer, including swimming with dolphins, hiking the Cloud Forest of Papua New Guinea, and riding camels in the Gobi desert.

Light years away

Science writer Seymour Simon (Stars) explains how he uses analogies to make gigantic numbers comprehensible to young readers.

Air Show

A self-professed airplane geek, author and illustrator Robert Neubecker teamed up with friend and Utah neighbor Treat Williams to create this lively book about airplanes, aviators, and a young girl who dreams of becoming a pilot.

Jo MacDonald Had a Garden

Writer and poet Mary Quattlebaum's dad inspired this picture book about the yearly cycle of a garden. His concern about environmental issues and interest in gardens that produce food and sustain wildlife are at the center of this story.

Automata

Exploring the Galapagos

For her book on Darwin, writer Rosalyn Schanzer was able to travel to the Galapagos Islands and experience firsthand what Darwin saw: the volcanic landscape, the iguanas, the blue-footed booby, and the giant tortoises.

Bringing nonfiction to life

Watch how reading volunteer Shakara Helaire engages these three young girls as she reads a book about vegetables. Active (dialogic) read alouds encourage lots of questions and discussion.

Daily Reading Tip

A listening walk

Take a listening walk! Listen closely to different sounds you hear & have your child record them in a journal.